


Prompt #205

by StrangeMischief



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-10-26 11:03:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20741165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangeMischief/pseuds/StrangeMischief
Summary: “You look like shit,” Rhodes had said. “No one wants to be proposed to by someone who looks like they haven’t slept in two weeks. Sleep."





	Prompt #205

**Author's Note:**

> As always, enjoy :3

_ Prompt #205 _

“You look like shit,” Rhodes had said. “No one wants to be proposed to by someone who looks like they haven’t slept in two weeks. Sleep. Get rid of some of those big ol’ bags under your eyes. _Then _ask Stephen to marry you.” Rhodey had then fixed Tony with an amused look and pointed a warning finger at his friend. “But don’t take too long, Tones, or he might finally realize you’re not quite the catch he thinks you are.”

Easier said than done.

\---

Tony had tried to sleep. It should have been easy given the length of time he’d gone since getting a full night’s rest. But it wasn’t. He tossed and turned, mind plagued with worry and a trickle of fear.

But these were not Tony’s typical nighttime demons. Gone was the nightly routine of jerking awake, the phantom feeling of suffocation and water being poured over his face. No more were the paralyzing night terrors where he relived the horrors of Titan on an endless loop. No, these were a new breed for which he had no training and no methods of evasion.

Tony dreamt of the proposal.

He dreamt of Stephen saying no, knocking the ring from Tony’s hands, spitting, “Who would ever want you?” He dreamt of Stephen saying yes but then growing to hate Tony, to hate their marriage. “He realized you weren’t quite the catch he thought you were,” Rhodey sighed sadly, a hand patting Tony’s sobbing form. Tony dreamt of losing the ring in the endless aisles of the Sanctum library while Wong’s disappointed tutting rang overhead. One night he had a particularly brutal nightmare where he was torn to shreds by Chitauri soldiers, moments before he knelt down on one knee. 

It was endless. It was exhausting_. _It was _maddening_. 

\---

Stephen had made spaghetti and corralled Tony out of the lab, lamenting about how long it was since they sat and ate something together. 

Tony slowly felt his resolve wearing away as more and more restless nights passed.

“Stephen, I’m so fucking tired. I can’t deal with this anymore.”

Stephen’s fork paused halfway to his mouth, a slick noodle slipping from the trembling utensil and plopping onto the tabletop. “What’re you talking about?” Stephen’s deep baritone was smooth as ever, but he was unable to conceal the inkling of worry that laced his words. “What can’t you deal with?”

“You!” Tony groaned, shoving his chair back and standing. “Me! Us! It’s exhausting!”

Stephen was staring at him, the way one looked at a venomous snake as they slowly backed away. “We’re exhausting?”

“_Fuck. _No! That’s not what I said…well it _is, _but it’s not what I meant because I-Look! Steph! What I’m trying to say is…” Tony ran sweaty fingers through his hair, tugging forcefully . “What I mean to ask it…See, I thought it’d be a good idea if we…Oh, god. Please marry me,” Tony sighed, hands resting on the backs of Stephen’s elbows. “There. I’ve asked. Now, please just say yes so I can stop worrying about it and finally get a decent night’s sleep.”

Stephen laughed.

Stephen laughed, and Tony felt the tips of his ears redden in shame. “Right. Sorry. What was I thinking? It was a stupid idea, anyway.”

“No! No! Stop!” Stephen laughed, pulling Tony against his chest. “I’m sorry, I’m just so _relieved._”

“Relieved?”

“You’ve been so distant,” Stephen sighed, threading his fingers together at the nape of Tony’s neck. “And you’re always sneaking out of bed, and then you had this…breakdown, so I’ve been…worried.”

“_You _were worried?” Tony laughed with a shake of his head. “I’ve been _terrified._”

“Tony,” Stephen chastised lightly, sweeping Tony’s disheveled hair off his forehead. “Of course, I’d say yes. You had nothing to be _terrified_ over, douchebag.”

Tony let loose a ragged breath and nodded weakly, letting his head drop against Stephen’s shoulder as his heavy lids dropped closed.

“What you _should _worry about are all the ways Wong is going to try and kill you.”

Tony’s eyes shot open.


End file.
